Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-10-09
GEORGE.
His Checkered Career i'm Cali
fOrnia.
PROGRESS FROM POVERTY.
A Bold Bueeaneer Nipped in the
Bud.
INSPECTOR WHO DID NOT INSPECT.
Detested BY the Printers on the Pa
eiiG.
INSPECTOR WHO DID NOT INSPECT.
FLEEING FROM HIS CREDITORS.
sr..tnl Dt.pa,c1 to he Ns,s yerE s,.r.

MIA, especially those who hold Sundry me-
mentoes Of his career there in the shape Of
unpaid due bills and q Us, cannot con-
sent that the record shall be mutilated in
any such way. Though lost TO sight, he
is still to memory dear, and the extent Of
his dearneSs can be accurately stated in
dollars and cents.
Nor would the narrative of his checkered
career be rounded and complete did it omit
his first attempt to put his pet doctrine Of
the naturalization of land into practical
effect by aiding in the organization OF an
expedition for the conquest of one or more
of the Northern States of Mexico, includ-
ing, by way Of parenthesis, the capture of
one OF the treasure-laden steamers of the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company, which
should furnish the sinews of war for the
hlibustering expedition.
Nor, indeed, would it he doing the leader
of the Anti, Poverty Society strict and even
justice TO keep silent as to his exploits in
the liue of legalized brigandage--as in
spectOr of glS meters for the State of Cali
toruia, IN which capacity, and by virtue Oi
the statute in such cases made and prOvid-
ed, he levied direct taxes, not on land, but
on the pockets OF those whose gas meters
seemed TO be eNpeUdiog their industries
rather for the benefit Of the producer than
the consumer.
Il may be best, however, tn tell the story
and leave your readers to make their own
comments aui draw their own conclu-
siuns.
Henry George came TO the Pacific coast
in 1917 from Philadelphia, lie was at
that time about II years old The follow
ing wear, ISIS, he was attacked with the
prevailing epidemic, known rs the Frazer
River fever, ami, IN company with Il vast
number of dsluded souls who dreamed OF
bliss, started for EritiSh Columbia and tine
mines which were represented rs being
fabu,Ously rich and Of incNhaustIble ex-
tent. \ miners life. however, was too
ouch like work for yOuug George, and the
following year he drilted hack 20 San Fran
cisco and took up his partially learned
trade OF printing. He worked in various
offices in that city and acquired fair
knowledge Of the az, and, employed in
that manner, he led an uueyeIttul life for
several years. Those who knew him best
n that time profess that they were UNI
able to discern any signs OF tine dawn OF his
future greatness, aud remember him as a
happy-gO-lucky sort OF fellow, with moth
ING to distinguish him above his fellows.
But the time soon showed that they little
knew the ambition that burned in his
bosom; that he dreamed of following in
the footsteps of COrtes aud PlZarro, of hew-
ing out an empire fer himself with his
trusty sword, and OF reyelug III the halls
of the MOGteZumIS.
In the latter part OF the year lS6i he was
employed IN the composing room of the
IRt California, at that Slime conducted by
Nests. McCrellSh and Woodward \ bout
this time q scheme was mo9ted for the
conquest Of that portion Of Mexico lying to
the south OF California aud along the PaCi
fir ocean. comprising the present States Oi
Sonora and SinalOa, aud Henry George be-
came one of the leading spirits OF the I'M
dertlking After 80 loEg lapse Of time
il is not easy To say whether his design
then WAS purely conquest, or whether ne
sought to found a community based upon
the SOcialistic doctrines, which he has
since proclaimed Perhaps he did not
know himself Suffice IL to say that the
undertaking involved the forcible seizure
pf lands belonging tn nation with which
the United States was - profound peace,
and the eXemplifcRtjon o! the maxim that
might makes right, which he now 50 cN-
phCitly diSavows and vigorously Comb%ts.
At the time when this expedition was
manned, San Francisco was filed with a
great number OF men vt desperate fortunes;
men who had been in one or both Of the
great armies then cOntending in the last
struggles of the war, and who had come
into California by devious ways Some
of these men had come through Texas and
Northern Mexico, Others by other routes,
bat all were ready for any kind 81 an d.
venture which might repair their fallen
fortunes and furnish them with the means
of iiSiug without work. They cared not a
whit for riSking thsir lives, tor they were
Of little use to themselves or anyone else,
hut they wanted excitement and To wit
ness stirring times, more especially as sue
cess IN their schemes would put them
above want and enable them TO live in
plenty and idleneSs.
The scheme WAS not a new one TO San
Francisco. Besides the Walker and Crabb
expeditions. which are historical, there had
been various expeditions OF similar char
acter, planned az different times, some of
which perishei ID their inception, while
- 1 i lE.-s ~
and then fell through.
Underterred by the i'll fate of previous
attempts, the band OF desperadOes referred
h determined TO try their fortunes rs fiji
busters, and to their fortunes Henry George
willingly aDd eagerly Joined his own. That
the tender OF his services was duly apprecl-
nted is shown BY the fact that he was at
Oare elected q lieutenant oil one OF the
companies Of these decidedly irregular
troops, and that he was taken into the in
innate cnunsels of the leaders. And now
the work went hravely on. Recruits were
constantly added to the force. money was
raised somehow or anyhow for the eNpedi-
ton, and arms and ammunition purchased
a. rapidly as the funds permitted.
The question Of the transportation OF the
army OF occupation now came up. and in
order to meet it the filibusters purchased
or chartered an old ship, the Brontes, and
anchored her in the harbor. Here, as the
recruits were mustered in, they were con-
Quoted, and so impecunious were the most
Of the Fslstafiisn army that they were well
content to accept the meals and sleeping
quarters furnished them without any awk-
ward or embarrassing questions Ss 20 where
they were going or what they were expect
ed to do when they got there. Those who
WeTe iniuisitiye or importunste were con-
hded to the care CT Lieutenant George,
whose functions at this stage of the enter
prise seem 70 have been those Of romance
master general to the expedition. 1t was
his duty to steer carefully clear of the
f'ihenitles and dangers of the ente prise.
{.